Student's petition calls for involvement in book banning review process

COUNTY’S PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE BEING CHALLENGED IN JUST ABOUT EVERY BOARD MEETING >> BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW COMMITTEE >> EACH SCHOOL HAS ONE WHICH INCLUDES A LIBRARIAN PARENTS AND TEACHERS BUT NO STUDENTS NEWS CHANNEL 5 KELSEY GIBBS INTRODUCES US TO A TEAM TRYING TO CHANGE THAT >> I DEFINITELY HOPE THAT STUDENTS WILL FEEL MORE EMPOWERED TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT GOING FORWARD JULIA GARRETT IS A JUNIOR AT HENDERSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE’S LEARNING A LESSON THAT’S TAKING PLACE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM THESE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE ABOUT BOOKS AFFECT US

THE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO GO IN THE LIBRARY AND WE WANT TO FIND BOOKS THAT REPRESENT US >> AND REPRESENT ALL COMMUNITIES NOT JUST OURSELVES BUT TO BE ABLE TO LEARN AND GROW AS PEOPLE JULIE USED HER VOICE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE BANNING OF BOOKS AT LAST MONTH’S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING NOW SHE WANTS TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER ICER THIS PETITION BECAUSE STUDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO BE PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS WHICH COUNTS MATERIAL IS MY SCHOOL AND I REALLY FELT THAT IT WAS

IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS PROCESS SUMMER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD’S POLICY SAYS FOR EACH SCHOOL THE LIBRARY MATERIALS ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS APPOINTED BY THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS THESE COMMITTEES HAVE ALREADY REVIEWED SEVERAL BOOKS CHALLENGE BY PARENTS THE

COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR TEACHERS LIBRARIANS AND PARENTS FROM THAT SCHOOL BUT NO STUDENTS A LOT OF TIME STUDENTS ARE KIND OF OVERLOOKED IN THIS PROCESS AND I THINK THIS PETITION KIND OF HELPED BRING US MORE TO AND HAVE ADULTS IN THIS PROCESS KIND OF CONSIDER HAVING THE STUDENTS VOICE IN THIS PROCESS THE 17 YEAR-OLDS

PASSION HELPED LAND HER SPOT ON HER SCHOOL’S COMMITTEE WHERE SHE SAYS THEY SOON WILL REVIEW THE BOOK THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER AND FOR THIS BOOK TO BE CHALLENGED IS REALLY BUT I’M GLAD THAT WE’RE ABLE TO REVIEW IT SIT DOWN TALK ABOUT IT >> AND DISCUSS IT SHE SAYS THE SPIKE IS NOT OVER UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAVE SEAT AT THE DECISION-MAKING TABLE IT’S A LOT TO HAVE TO TRY AND LEARN AS A STUDENT BUT ALSO FIGHT FOR OUR RIGH